Learning from those who have gone before…

As a child I like to think I learned from my older brother’s mistakes!! After seeing him inadvertently swear in front of my parents and get a good telling off I remember making a mental note never to do that!! It saved me a lot of grief!! He was however mostly a good example for me to follow and still is a great example of a godly man.

Having people whose example we can follow is important. As a woman, I really value talking with and learning from older ladies in the church as they have demonstrated how something of what it means to be a Godly woman. This is especially true as we have tried to work out how to apply the bible to my life in the midst of challenging circumstances.

This week at Women to Women we are going to be looking at the following passage which I’m sure you will agree seems pose its own challenges as we work out how to apply it.

Matthew 7:1-12

 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Ask, Seek, Knock

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

The passage raises questions like: “How can this say “Don’t judge” and then tell us to actively help our brother or sister in removing a speck from their eye?”, “Who are the pigs and dogs?” “What if God doesn’t seem to be opening the door when I pray?”

I am so grateful to many women over the years who have worked out some of the answers through time and experience… who have sought to apply the scriptures into their lives during challenging times… who have trusted God in challenging times and who have been an example to me.

Like Anne, who taught me about trusting the Lord when her health was failing.

And Sandra, who demonstrated how to live and speak for Christ in the workplace.

And May, who taught me about Christian family, praying faithfully for me despite the pain of her own children rejecting the faith.

That’s what I love about Women to Women… the opportunity to meet and share and hear how women older than myself have done this… to get to know them and to hear their testimonies of God’s goodness. I also know I too have the responsibility of passing on what God has taught me too to those younger than myself to encourage them in their faith. This is a unique calling we have as women; to teach the next generation how to live for God.

So please do come on Wednesday ready to learn and share with one another, as we tackle another challenging passage of God’s word together!